Electrical connector



Feb. 3, 1959 G. H. PHELPS 2,872,656

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 20, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 \v 1 15 s e 60R6EHPIILP5 I N V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY Feb. 3, 1959 G. H. PHELPS 2,872,655

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR I Filed Dec. 20. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 GEORGE H. PHELPS mg 413 INVENTOR.

BY ATQRN 'Y 2,872,656 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR George H. Phelps, Floral Park, N. Y., assignor to Murray Manufacturing Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y.-

Application December 20, 1956, Serial No. 629,741 8 Claims. (Cl. 339-192 This invention relates to electrical solderless connectors, and particularly to such connectors of the lay-in type.

The expression lay-in connector is well known in the electrical industry; it denotes a connector having a U-shaped cradle portion where conductors are simply laid-in and retained. This type of connector has become very popular as terminal connectors in fuse boxes, meter mounting devices and other similar electrical equipment.

The utility of my novel connector is most apparent when considered with apparatus for mounting socket type meters, and therefore, my invention will be described in connection with such apparatus. However, .it is to be understood that the descriptive embodiment is by way of example only, and that the invention has utility in most.

any type of electrical equipment where a certain condition exists which will be made clear from the following description.

The type of lay-in connector most widely used, with socket meter installations, comprises a main body portion substantially in the shape of a U. Three such connectors are used in the meter mount, two for the respective line cables and the third for the neutral cable. two line connectors are disposed side-by-side in the The " rates Patent meter mounting box and the neutral connector is 10- cated intermediate the line connectors on the base of the box. The construction of the line connectors is such that the remote legs of the two U portions, as distinct from the adjacent legs, extend at right-angles to the legs and extend in opposite directions. The extensions are mounted on insulator blocks provided in the mounting box to support meter switch clips. The extensions are located in underlying contact with the respective meter switch clips, so that when the meter terminals are inserted into the switch clips a circuit is closed from the meter via the connectors to the line cables. The two insulator blocks, the cable carrying portions of the connectors and base of the mounting box define the space in which the three cables are confined, and since the U portions of the connectors depend approximately half way towards the base of the mounting box, the space for the cables is rather limited.

The majority of socket meter installations are on the outside of the building to be served and are provided with a threaded hub at the top of the box, through which the three cables enter the mounting box. In the smaller, inexpensive mounting boxes, the hub is located close to the insulating blocks, and is not aligned with the several connectors. Because of the short distance between the hub and the insulating blocks the mobility of the cables in the hub opening is restricted. Further, because of the confined space and the non-alignment between the hub and the connectors, the heavy cables are spread and bent upon entering the box, which further restricts the mobility of the cable. And, because the space for the cables is so confined and the mobility thereof impaired, it is very difficult to clean, position and clamp the cables in the connectors.

Patented Feb. s, 1959 ice It should be apparent that the problems discussed above are the result of the construction and the positioning of the connectors in the meter box.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide a connector of the lay-in type in combination with that the cradle portion of the connector is approximately aligned with the hub of the mount.

The above objects and features will become more explicit when taken in conjunction with the accompanying. drawing and description, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an end view of the conventional meter mount; Fig. 2 is an end view of a meter mount comprising two embodiments of the novel connector of my invention;

Figs. 2A-2F are perspective views of the component parts of the connectors illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 3 is an end view of a portion of the meter mount showing a third embodiment of the connector;

Figs. 3A-3C are perspective views of the component parts of the connector shown in Fig. 3; and

Figs. 4, 4A and 4B are views of still another embodi:

ment of my invention.

Referring first to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a conventional socket type meter mount comprising a pair of insulating blocks 1, 2 for supporting switch clips 3, 4 respectively. The switch clips 3, 4 are mounted firmly by means of a bolt and nut arrangement, the nuts of. which are shown at 5 and 6.

Line cables 7, 8 are connected to the switch clips 3, 4 over electrical connectors 9, 10 respectively.

" cable. One leg of the U 13 extends at right-angles thereto and is connected to the switch clip by the bolt and nut arrangement holding the switch clip to the insulator block. The cable is retained in the U portion of the connector by an arrangement comprising an arcuate' plate 14 swivel mounted to a bolt 15; the plate 14 bearing against the cable, as shown. Thebolt i5 is positioned by a nut member 16 shaped to bridge the U of the connector body, and is coupled thereto. 1'

The three heavy cables 7, 8 and 11 are brought in' to the meter mount through a hub 17 generally provided at the top of the mount, and are cleaned, positioned-and clamped in the space described above. I

In accordance with my invention, as illustrated in the remaining figures, a meter mount is provided in which the space for cleaning, positioning and clamping the cables is increased considerably.

Referring first to Fig. 2, there is illustrated an end, view of two different connectors, shown in detail in Figs.

2A-2F. The insulating blocks, bolt and arcuate plate arrangement, switch clips, and the bolt and nut arrangement for securing the switch clips to the insulating blocks,

are substantially the same as in Fig. l and therefore will bear the same reference numerals. Considering now,

the right-hand half of Fig. 2, the body of the connector comprises a U shaped cradle portion (Fig. 2A). One leg 18 of the U is in the form of a fiat wall, and the opposite leg 19 comprises an extension at right-angles thereto, for" connectio-n'to the switch clip. As seen in Fig. 2A, the, extension 19 is provided with a hole through which the, mounting bolt passes.

The leg 18 extends above the.

Ground cable 11 is connected to ground over another connector, which is not shown. The connectors 9, 10 as illustrated,

extension 19 and is provided with a slot 20 in the upper portion thereof.

The switch clip 4 of this embodiment, Fig. 2B, is provided with a slot v21.at approximately the same level and parallel to the slot 26 in the leg 18.

The bolt and arcuate plate arrangement 14, is shown in detail in Fig. 2C, and the bridge-shaped nut member in Fig. 2D. The bridge member comprises a flat plate portion 22 in which there is a tapped hole 23 to accommodate the bolt 15. At opposite ends of the plate portion 22 lugs 24 and 25 are provided to fit into the slots and 21 respectively. The end of lug is hooked to prevent the bridge-shaped member fromslipping out of the slot 21 in the clip 4.

The detail component'sof the embodiment illustrated in the left-hand portion of Fig. 2, areshown in Figs. 2E

and 2F. In this embodiment one leg of the U isprovided.

with a lug 26, and the bridge member with a complementary slot 27 into which the lug fits, as shownin Fig. 2.

A third embodiment of my invention is shown in Figs. 3, 3A, 3B and 3C. This embodiment is different from the first two embodiments, primarily in that it does not use the switch clip to anchor one end of the bridge member. The body portion of the connector, Fig. 3A, is similar to that shown in Fig. 2E. A bracket 28, Fig. 3C, having a slot 32 is provided to anchor one end of the bridge member. The slot 32 has a wider portion 29 at its lower end to permit the extension portion of the leg of the body portion to pass therethrough before the extension is secured to the insulating block. The bridge member, Fig. 3B, is the same as that shown in Fig. 2F and as shown in Fig. 3, extends between the bracket 28 and the lug 30 at one end of the leg of the U shaped portion. The hooked lug 31 of the bridge member, Fig. 0

3B, secures the bridge member in the slot 32 of the bracket 28. In this embodiment a section of the upper part of the insulator block 2 is cut away to accommodate the lower half of the bracket 28.

A fourth and preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in Figs. 4, 4A and 4B. 7 This embodiment is similar to the embodiment of Fig. 3 in that the bridgev member is not anchored to the switch clip, but unlike the embodiment of Fig. 3, the bridge member here is connected to opposite legs of the U portion. One leg of the U, Fig. 4A, 33 is a flat wall provided with a slot 34 to accommodate the lug of the bridge member, which is the same as that shown in Fig. 3B. The opposite leg 35 of the U portion is provided with a lug 36 which fits into the slot of the bridge member. The connector is electrically connected to the switch clip 4 by means of a Z shaped member 37. The upper leg 38 of the 2 member underlies and contacts the switch clip 4. The lower leg 39 of the 2 passes through aligned slots 40 in the opposite walls 33, 35 of the U. and is positioned on the base of the U. The 2 member is secured to the base of the U member by means of a depression 41 which fits into a complementaryhole 42.

Thus, it should now be apparent that the several embodiments of my invention result in enlarging the working space for cleaning, positioning and clamping the cables. The space is enlarged by raising the base of the connectors and generally aligning the bases with the hub opening.-

'The connector of the fourth embodiment may serve also as a ground connector by removing the 2 member from the slots 40, and resting it on the base alongside the slots. The width of the lower leg 39 of the Z member is slightly smaller than the distance between the opposingwalls 33, 35 so that the Z member may be positioned therebetween. The upper leg 38 of the Z may then .be connected to a suitable ground lead.

Although there is described herein .the principles of the invention together with several embodiments thereof, it will be understood that theapparatus .disclosedis only,

- neutral cable, and in combination with said enclosure,

a pair of insulating mounting blocks securely fastened to the base of said enclosure on either side of the opening, the blocks being of such height that the mounting surfaces thereof are at a level slightly higher than the mid point of the opening, a pair of electrical connectors, each comprising a U shaped portion for supporting a line cable and means secured to the mounting surface of a block, the U shaped portions of said connectors being positioned in front of the opening and shaped to extend a distance, less than the thickness of the cable, below the mounting surfaces of said blocks, each of said connectors including a member having a bridge portion extending across the U shaped portion, the bridge portion being located above the mounting surfaces of said blocks, and means mounted in said respective bridge portions for maintaining the cables in said U shaped portions, whereby the line cables lie approximately at the midpoint of the opening, thereby permitting the cable to be brought in through the opening and mounted in said U shaped portions without substantial bending of the cables.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said U shaped portions comprise respectively an extension at right angles to one leg of the U portion and means attaching said extension to the mounting surface of the insulating block.

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said enclosure is useful for mounting a socket type meter, and comprises switch clips mounted respectively on the mounting surfaces of said insulating blocks in contact with said extensions, and each of said bridge portions being secured in aligned slots in said switch clip and the leg of the U portion opposite thereof.

4. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said enclosure is useful for mounting a socket type meter,

and comprises switch clips mounted respectively on the mounting surfaces of said insulating blocks in contact with said extensions, the leg of each of said U portions remote from said clip including a first lug extending at right angles thereto, each of said bridge portions including at one end thereof a second lug secured in a slot in said switch clip and at the opposite end thereof a depending portion having a slot attachably coupling said first lug.

5. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said enclosure is useful for mounting a socket type meter, and comprises switch clips mounted respectively on the mounting surfaces of said insulating blocks in contact with said extensions, the leg of each of said U portions remote from said clip including a first lug extending at right angles thereto, a pair of bracket members each having an inverted T shaped slot, said extensions extending respectively through the lateral arms of the slots, and mounted on the respective mounting surfaces of said insulating blocks, one part of each of said brackets being nested between said insulating block and the adjacent leg of said U portion, and each of said bridge portions including at one end thereof a second lug secured in the longitudinal arm of the slot in said bracket, and at the opposite end thereof a depending portion including a slot attachably coupling said first lug.

' 6. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the leg of each of said U portions adjacent the insulator block extends above the opposite leg thereof, said opposite leg including a first lug extending at right angles thereto, each 'of said bridge portions including at one end thereof a second lug secured in.a slotin the portion ofsaid one leg of the U extending above the opposite dog, .and

at the opposite end of each bridge portion a depending portion having a slot attachably coupling said first lug.

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein said means secured to the mounting surfaces of said insulator blocks comprises a Z shaped member, means securing one leg of said Z to the base of said U portion, said one leg being positioned in aligned slots in the legs of said U adjacent said base, and the other leg of said 2 shaped member being mounted on the mounting surface of said insulating block.

8. The arrangement for connecting in an enclosure, a pair of electric cables to a pair of connectors, the enclosure being useful for mounting a socket type meter, comprising a pair of insulating blocks spaced a given distance apart, a pair of connectors, each comprising a U shaped portion located in the space between said blocks for supporting said cables, one leg of said U portion extending beyond the other leg thereof, the longer leg being adjacent said insulating block, the shorter leg having a first lug extending at right angles thereto, a Z shaped member, one leg of said 2 member having a depression fitting into a corresponding hole in the base of said U portion and positioned in aligned slots in the legs of said U portions adjacent said base, means mounting the other leg of said 2 member on an end of said insulating block, a bridge member having a fiat portion bridging said U, and at one end thereof a second lug secured in a slot in the portion of said one leg of the U extending beyond the opposite leg thereof, and at the opposite end a depending portion having a slot attachably coupling said first lug, and a screw mounted in a centrally located tapped hole in said bridge member and having a swivel mounted plate attached at one end thereof, for bearing against said cable.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Opalenik et a1 Feb. 19, 1957 

